Improvement in machines for cleaning and scouring wheat



2 Sheets Sheet 1.

E. RUSSELL.

Grain Cleaner.

Patented Feb.- 14, 1871.

MW: fiw 6' 0 6066 Nirn STATES J ATENT Orricn.

EPHRAIM RUSSELL, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR CLEANING AND SCOURING WHEAT.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 1 51,779, datedFebruary 14, 1871.

T0 at whom, i2? WWI/Z] concern.-

Be it known that I, EPHRAIM RUssnLL, of Minneapolis, in the county ofHennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Machines for Scouring and Uleansing vVheat, of which thefollowing an exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings and letters of reference marked thereon, which make a part ofthis specification.

My invention relates to a series of spiders, each having beveled armsand teeth. Such series ofspiders are arranged alternately upon arevolving shaft, and in combination with a circular perforated metalliccase, within which the spiders, by their revolving motion, accomplishthe scouring or cleansing of the wheat while it is passing through thecase.

Figure 1 shows the frame in which is set the circular perforatedmetallic case 0, which is covered at the top and sides, the side coverbeing removed to show the case. At the end is the aperture D, where thewheat is fed by a spout into the seourer, there being also at theopposite end, at the lower circumference of the case, a similar aperturewhere the grain passes out. Fig. 2 shows the iron spider A, the arms orblades of which are beveled upon one side, as shown, and flat upon theother side, having on their beveled side small iron teeth a a a, asshown. Fig. 3 shows a section of the spider along the dotted line inFig. 2. Fig. 4 represents a series of these spiders arranged upon therevolving shaft E in alternate order-that is, the arms of the first areset opposite the spaces between the arms of the second, those of thesecond opposite the spaces of the third, and so on, the beveled rection.

This series of spiders thus constructed and arranged upon the shaft arethen inclosed within the perforated metallic case, the shaft passinghorizontally through the center, having its hearings in the frame,(shown in Fig. 1.) and being operated by a belt at F. Then the wheatpasses in at 1), the rapid motion of the arms of the first spider, byreason of their being beveled, as shown, will drive the wheat throughthe opposite spaces in the second spider, and the arms of the secondthrough the spaces of the third, and so on,while at the same time thesmall teeth a a a are rapidly beating the kernels, and counteractingtheir tendency to clog about the circumference, which the motion of thearms would otherwise produce. Thus the grain is kept in such agitationthat by the trituration of the kernels among themselves, as well as bytheir contact with the spiders and the case, all fibrous substance andother impurities adhering to the kernel are rubbed oif and siftedthrough the case, together with the cockle and other small seeds, andthe wheat comes out thoroughly scoured and cleansed.

'What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

The series of spiders A A, having teeth a a a, arranged alternately uponshaft E, in combination with the perforated metallic case 0, constructedand arranged to operate in the manner shown.

EPHRAIM RUSSELL.

NVitnesses:

D. G. SHILLooK, Gno. F. BoLLEs.

sides of all the spiders being in the same di-

